Standard FOIA exemptions, including those pertaining to how burdensome the requests would be, will apply to all requests. Records also will be redacted to make certain that no information is released that might compromise investigations or witness confidentiality, including names of complainants or informants, the statement said.

"...it is imperative to build trust and partnership between residents and the police. And this new policy is a step forward in that effort," Emanuel said in the statement.

The City is implementing the new policy after working with CPD and civil rights attorneys to resolve litigation that had targeted the a long-standing policy of treating police misconduct investigations as a personnel matters exempted under FOIA rules.

A three-judge panel of the Illinois Appeals Court had ruled in March that such files would not be exempt from the Illinois Freedom of Information Act. The appellate court's written ruling found that complaint register files — records related to citizen complaints of police misconduct — are a matter of public record.

The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by South Side activist and journalist Jamie Kalven, who was pursuing police misconduct records from a federal police misconduct lawsuit.

At the time of the appellate ruling, a spokeswoman for Emanuel's administration had said the city would appeal that decision. But in Sunday's statement, Chicago Corporation Counsel Steve Patton said, "The City of Chicago had the option to continue to litigate this matter, but ultimately we concluded that – with proper safeguards in place – it will serve a greater public good to allow these investigations to be subject to open records laws."

"By allowing access to these records, the Chicago Police Department will further demonstrate that it takes allegations of police misconduct seriously," said Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy in the statement.